


comfort in him

by ssyou



Category: MXM (Band), Produce 101 (TV), YDPP (Band)
Genre: Did I Mention Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Sick Fic, no plot...just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 18:16:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14550498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssyou/pseuds/ssyou
Summary: Sewoon was sick and stubborn.Seokwon called for help.





	comfort in him

**Author's Note:**

  * For [summerandwinter (nineintheafternoon)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nineintheafternoon/gifts).



“Oh, thank God,”

Youngmin stopped in his trance for a moment, caught by the unexpected sight that welcomed him when the other guy opened the door. He and Donghyun had been standing outside for the whole five minutes, waiting in wonder as to why they hadn’t gotten any reply yet even though they could clearly hear the ruckus from the other side. But seeing Seokwon with messy hair and slightly crinkled shirt kind of adhered to his suspicion that the situation was actually worse than he thought. For one, Youngmin could plainly see the exasperation in Seokwon’s eyes and the loud relief sigh that followed his greeting didn’t go unnoticed by the older.

After awkward bows to each other, Seokwon invited them in. As soon as they stepped into the living room, the racket they had been hearing from the outside got louder and heavier. It sounded like it came from the kitchen. Seokwon couldn’t help but peer at them in grimace.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “He’s been too much lately. This has been going on since yesterday and I don’t know who to ask for help anymore.” The look that Sewoon’s friend gave them was one of helplessness, knowing he bothered the other party but had no other way to handle their problem anymore.

“I’ve asked Daniel and Jaehwan and they talked to him too but it still wouldn’t do,” the younger guy continued, running his hand through his hair. “You’re our last resort. I’m really sorry, you two must’ve been busy.”

Youngmin pitied him, so he waved his hand in dismissal and gave the exhausted boy an understanding smile.

“It’s fine, we don’t have schedule until later tonight anyway,” Youngmin answered in between reassuring the other boy and eavesdropping in what was happening in the kitchen. He could hear some “No!”, “Please!”, and “Just go sit there!” and many more arguing words being thrown here and there. Donghyun winced beside him.

“Even Daniel-hyung and Jaehwan-hyung failed? Just how bad is it?”

Seokwon sighed again, and ran his hand through his hair for the second time in the last 2 minutes.

“Very bad, Donghyun-ah. You know he’s very stubborn in some aspects, this is one of them,” the Starship trainee said flatly like he had been saying those words a thousandth times, to different people, different time, but always about the same person. Youngmin felt a slight jolt inside his chest, razor-thin blade that sat a bit uncomfortable without his understanding why. He only knew few things in few times that Sewoon had been stubborn about, one was his overconfident drawing skill and two was his addiction to ice cream that he would go against anything to get one if he felt like craving it. That must be nice to know other things of his best friend, he muttered in his head.

“Where’s everyone else?” Donghyun asked, seeing there was only them in the living room and two or three persons in the kitchen. As if expecting the question, Seokwon shook his head.

“Hiding in their rooms,” he answered, “like I told you, it’s bad-“

“Youngmin-hyung!”

Suddenly there was small body bumped into Youngmin, thin arms hugged him from behind and clutched him like his life depended on it. Seokwon instinctively sighed and looked toward the hallway heading to their kitchen, not even a bit surprised when he saw the very boy that was giving him headache walked toward them with eyebrows creased clearly feeling unamused. He gave the soloist a shrug then motioned ‘please’ toward Donghyun.

The oldest didn’t realize there was an impending doom coming near him though, instead he turned his body to return the owner of the small body’s hug and picked him up in delight.

“Hey, Hyunjin-ah, have you been well?” It was always good to see one of Sewoon’s so-called adopted kids beside Gwanghyun. Park Hyunjin was the very proof of why Sewoon could be called the mom of the group, as he was the reason his best friend willing to wake up earlier just so he could make a healthy breakfast for the kid. A responsibility that he seemed to take very seriously though, seeing that Seokwon calling him to say Sewoon had insisted to do his daily activities including preparing breakfast while he had a fever and should take a rest as per what their boss said.

Hyunjin was still clutching to Youngmin, head slightly up to get a good look on the older. The prodigy was just a kid, no matter what everyone said, because look at that pout that he had been trying so hard to hide but still showing anyway.

“I’m doing good. But Sewoon-hyung isn’t, he’s sick but he still insists he isn’t. Can you take care of him? He’s very infuriating,” the kid moaned. Youngmin chuckled and put the kid back down on the floor, hand cradling his head.

“Hey, kid, I’m here too. Why are you only hugging Youngmin-hyung?” from his left Youngmin could hear his labelmate’s teasing, and he swore to God the last time he checked Donghyun was still a 20-year-old adult.

Hyunjin moved his head to the source of the voice, eyes light up in glee to see the other best friend of Sewoon.

“Donghyun-hyung,” he went to hug Donghyun, and Youngmin momentarily caught up at the sight of the younger picking the kid up again so he was surprised to see his best friend suddenly appeared beside Seokwon, arms crossed and lips pursed. He could clearly see the younger insisted on making breakfast though, seeing him wearing his favorite apron over his black shirt and pajama pant.

“I’m not infuriating,” Sewoon huffed, glaring at Seokwon like he was at fault for making his friends caring enough to bombard him with calls and presence, and even making two of them appear at their dorm in flesh at 7 AM in the morning. The taller guy looked like he was used to it, no matter that Sewoon was younger than him, the bickers and sarcasm still didn’t lose its heat regardless he had left him to go to military for a fairly long time. So he raised his eyebrows, glared back at the guitarist, mouth gawked unbelieving.

Youngmin watched the staring contest between the two in silent, afraid to interrupt the best friends who had known each other longer than he knew Sewoon. The slight uncomfortable feeling made its way back to his chest as he watched his fellow YDPP member looked worse than he thought. Sewoon’s face was red, too red to be healthy, and the way he planted his feet on the floor was so weak like he could fall to the ground at any moment.  His best friend looked warm, but not the kind of warm he always associated with the younger.

As Seokwon opened his mouth in disbelief, Donghyun’s rich voice suddenly sounded breaking the ludicrous atmosphere between the two.  

“Where’s Gwanghyun?” he asked while still hugging Hyunjin and cradling the kid’s neck. Seokwon looked away from Sewoon in pout, his expression suddenly changed as he motioned to Donghyun the direction to the kitchen.

“He’s making us breakfast,” Hyunjin answered out loud, emphasized at the word ‘making’ to highlight that yes, his hamster-like hyung was the one that should be preparing their meals right now and not the other one.

Sewoon opened his mouth to say something before Donghyun cut him off and sent him his big wide smile, the embodiment of happiness and innocent which hide the intended manipulation behind it. The sight made Youngmin shiver a little bit.

“I’ll be helping him then,” Donghyun told them, “You take a rest, Sewoon-hyung.” After he said that he put his arm around Hyunjin’s shoulder and then they walked together to the direction of the kitchen, chit-chatting along the way as Youngmin could hear a few words regarding Sewoon’s stubbornness from the kid’s point of view as they fade away. Only then Seokwon found his way back on how to speak.

“I wasn’t even the one who said you were infuriating?” he complained, hands on his hips while Sewoon still took his stand.

“I’m not sick,” the younger whined. This is getting ridiculous, Youngmin thought as he rolled his eyes.

Seokwon did too. It wasn’t wrong to say his exasperation had reached the next level, but Youngmin didn’t get the chance to even consider that when he saw Seokwon put his hands on Sewoon’s shoulder then pushed him into Youngmin’s chest. That made Youngmin hold the younger in reflect, face scrunched in concern as he realized that Sewoon let out a small groan when his chin touched Youngmin’s shoulder.

“Yes you are. Now, rest. Youngmin-hyung, I’m so sorry but can you take care of him for a little while?” Seokwon’s eyes looked at him pleading, borderline begging to be honest and Youngmin was too caught up in the hotness of Sewoon’s skin to reply properly so he only managed a stuttering ‘yes’ which was taken as a big ‘sure, of course’ by the exhausted trainee. Sewoon tried to struggle out of Youngmin’s hold, which made Youngmin snap back to reality and focus his attention to strengthen his enfold as to not let Sewoon go back to the kitchen or whatever he was doing there.

“I’m not sick,” he mumbled. Seokwon could feel his stubbornness eventhough he wasn’t facing him at the moment.

Youngmin almost rolled his eyes.

“Yes, you are,”

“I’m not,”

The sight of the two of them in an embrace and Youngmin’s previous consent to watch over the sick vocalist got Seokwon grab his chance to excuse himself, hands making a begging motion to Youngmin, then went to the direction of the kitchen.

“I’ll take care of the breakfast,” he told the two of them while walking backwards, voice soft but stern, hoping the words could get through his friend’s head. “So you don’t have to worry, okay? Please rest.”

The oldest of the three nodded and let Seokwon go, leaving the two of them alone standing in the living room. As soon as the footsteps sound of the Starship trainee faded away and the clink clank noise in the kitchen could be faintly heard, Sewoon stopped his struggle and allowed his body to lean on Youngmin.

“Maybe a little bit,” Youngmin heard the younger murmur, the vibration of his voice and the movement of his lips ran through the juncture of his neck, Sewoon’s perfect hiding place, as the older couldn’t get a good look of him when he concealed his face like that. It was hot, Sewoon’s skin, and Youngmin didn’t know whether he should be concerned over Sewoon’s physical well-being or his almost delusional mind of finally admitting that he was, indeed, not well. The time when sick Sewoon wouldn’t fight off Youngmin’s hold was rare so he used this chance and precious seconds to lower down his hands until they were on the small on his back. He untied Sewoon’s apron while checking the temperature of the younger’s body with his cheek touching his temple.

“Why are you so hell-bending on appearing so tough in front of your friends?” he asked half-curious and half trying to get the vocalist distracted enough. “I’m pretty sure being sick is very normal and acceptable,”

Youngmin sensed a slight tickle on his neck, Sewoon’s eyelashes moved down indicating he was closing his eyes in denial. He accidentally heard a soft moan coming out from the shorter boy, a bit in agony but mostly in comfort because he could finally block out the too blinding light for his own good. The apron was loose after a few seconds of untangling the complicated tied laces so Youngmin threw it to the side hoping the stripe fabric would land atop of a sofa. They had to move into Sewoon’s room and make the younger lie on his bed for a long time, preferably until the fever was down because only until then Youngmin would feel ease to leave this dorm. He gave up on waiting for Sewoon’s answer and instead caressed Sewoon’s back and motioned him to walk to the direction of his bedroom.

“Come on, let’s get you in bed,” Youngmin persuaded the shorter boy, hands gripping Sewoon’s waist and softly pushed him backwards. He tried not to think of the small disappointment which poked on his chest now that Sewoon no longer leaned his body on him. The view of his big hands on Sewoon’s slim waist couldn’t escape his notice though. The bones were protruding slightly and in his current sick state Sewoon seemed so easily breakable Youngmin worried whether his fingers grip the shorter boy too hard.

The younger boy only gave a small nod.

On their way to the bedroom, the Brand New Boys’ leader took notice that there were eyes peeking out of the room across Sewoon’s. The owners were surprised when they got caught, the trainees’ eyes staring at Sewoon’s slumped figure and (was that admiration Youngmin saw in their eyes?) back to Youngmin like they were seeing Iron Man in real life. Youngmin nodded politely, feeling sorry for intruding their home but instead of nodding back, all of them gave him thumbs up with expressions as if talking ‘I’m counting on you’ which made Youngmin wonder again just how much suffering had sick Sewoon put on them all this time.

He smiled secretly behind the vocalist and continued guiding him, hand on the small of his back toward the bedroom that he shared with sunshine member of theirs.

 

-

 

“So, it’s mission success?” Gwanghyun asked his fellow labelmate after they heard a soft click of door closed in a hushed voice. He was stirring the fried rice they had been preparing before with his sick roommate and Hyunjin. On the other side of the kitchen, Donghyun was cracking open several eggs with Hyunjin beside him unwrapping cheese slices. Omelets had always been the boys’ favorite dish, one was because it was easy to make and two was because Sewoon did such amazing job at cooking it, not too burnt but not too soft either. Anyway, Seokwon would be the one making the omelets now with the usual chef currently taking a rest each and every one of them had been trying to force him to do.

Seokwon who had just entered the kitchen greeted by Gwanghyun’s question looked at the younger full of relief bordering smug.

“Very,” answered him while raising and lowering his eyebrows. “Finally, we found Kihyun-hyung’s replacement. Wonderful.”

Donghyun turned his body to face the older. “Kihyun-hyung’s replacement?”

“Sewoon is very stubborn when he’s sick. Kihyun-hyung used to be the one who could make him rest before, but since he’s busy and we live separately now we can’t really bother him,” explained Seokwon. He made his way to Donghyun to help him cracking eggs suffice for at least 10 growing boys.

“He’s rarely sick, but when he is it’s very hard to contain him. He got scolded by our boss once because of it,” Gwanghyun continued. “Even Jooheon-hyung has failed, so did Jaehwan-hyung and Daniel-hyung.”

The only BNM artist in the kitchen raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

“Yeah. Thank you so much for coming, I really, really appreciate it,” Seokwon pat Donghyun’s back and let Hyunjin steal another slice of cheese in such obvious way. “The only problem from now on is what should we do if he gets sick again? It’s not like Youngmin-hyung doesn’t have his own schedule to attend to.”

“Then what about all the time before he met us?”

The kitchen was suddenly silent. The oldest of the bunch busying himself by searching for chopstick to stir the egg.

Gwanghyun gulped.

“Well,” he started slow. “We locked him inside his room once. I won’t ever do that again. He was so scary I swore I’ve never seen him that mad before. So after that we just let him be,” he sighed, guilty and helpless and Donghyun wished he could hit his hyung’s head for causing that kind of expression on Gwanghyun. He went to the sink to wash his hands then approached the younger one carefully. One look at Hyunjin who was still busy stealing cheese slice and one glance at Gwanghyun to make sure he realized Donghyun was there and wouldn’t be surprised if he wrapped his arms around him, Donghyun made his way to do just so added by putting his chin on Gwanghyun’s shoulder. The older of the two by one month kept on stirring the fried rice pretending to be unaffected by Donghyun’s act eventhough the redness on his ears said the opposite.

“Poor you,” Donghyun mumbled out loud while squeezing the shorter’s body. “It’s okay, Youngmin-hyung is taking care of him right now,” he reassured again as if Gwanghyun needed to hear it for the second time. Unknowingly to him, Gwanghyun was too distracted by the soft and low voice that Donghyun used to whisper right beside his ear to process what the younger actually said. Also, anothing thing was on his mind as he stirred the fried rice and felt Donghyun’s arm enclosing him. Youngmin-hyung came for Sewoon, so what did Donghyun come here for? Or who?

“Yeah,” the younger replied, saying anything that came to his mind to shake off the nervousness. “Thank God.”

Donghyun nodded, the motion made his hair touch Gwanghyun’s neck and the said boy instinctively let out a ticklish laugh.

Seokwon watched the two of them with unamused eyes while positioning his stand as to not let Hyunjin see what his hyungs were doing. Fortunately the kid was too busy devouring the cheese slices.

 _This is worth it_ , Seokwon told himself one time, two times, three times, praying that Sewoon get better soon so the lovebirds could take their lovey dovey acts anywhere but his home.

It was hard, being the nanny.

 

He should’ve stayed in the army a little longer.

 

-

 

“So,” Sewoon heard his fellow YDPP member uttered the word with restrained worry in his tone, disturbed by the younger’s condition and his suspicion that it was really worse than the older thought. He held a long and thin device which became thinner and rounder at one end in his hand, eyes reading the numbers showed on the small screen while holding his sigh. “It’s 38.5OC, Jeong Sewoon-ssi. Yes, you have a fever.”

The slight twitch of Sewoon’s eyebrows seemed to not go unnoticed by the elder. He put down the thermometer and placed his palm on Sewoon’s forehead, checking his body temperature once again with Youngmin’s own hand. The younger lied on his bed without a blanket because he argued that he felt too hot underneath it so Youngmin settled him with clean hoodie which was folded beside his pillow.

Youngmin caressed his vocalist’s forehead and motioned him to stay down. “Wait a minute.”

He went to the living room to get his bag then came back with the addition of a plate of fried rice and a glass of water. He put the plate and glass atop of the wooden rack beside Sewoon’s bed then pulled out a blue box from his backpack. Sewoon’s eyebrows now frowned when he saw what Youngmin tried to give him.

“It’s fever strip,” the older reassured. “You’ll feel better with this, trust me,”

The argument that was right on the tip of his tongue died down as the older caressed his head once more, pushing aside his bang to reveal his flushed and naked forehead. Youngmin’s palm was cool and soothing, the contrast to fever he did feel no matter how he hated to admit it right then. Maybe he didn’t need the fever strip though, maybe Youngmin’s hand was already good enough.

Nonetheless, he wasn’t that delirious to say those words out loud so the fever strip was patched on his forehead while Youngmin’s hand was back on the side of his bed. There was no chair in his bedroom, making the older just sat beside him, one foot on the floor while his other leg was bent on the bed.

“You need to eat,” Youngmin said in grimace as if concerned about how Sewoon had to get up again after everyone tried so hard to make him lie down. “Gwanghyun, Donghyun, and Seokwon made this,”

The older took the plate while watching Sewoon nodded, surprised at the younger’s docile act. Sewoon did feel a little bit hungry eventhough the inside of his mouth tasted slightly bitter. Furthermore, Gwanghyun made it. There was no way he wouldn’t eat what Gwanghyun made for him.

“Oh, there’s an omelet too,” he exclaimed, clutching his hoodie a little bit tighter around his body. The sudden cold that came rushing through him was one of the things he hated from being sick. Sometimes it was too hot, sometimes it was too cold, it was irritating to take off his blanket only to need it again half a moment later.

“They said Seokwon made it,” Youngmin recalled.

Sewoon gripped the bedsheets as the act of getting up after lying down was kinda dizzying for him. He closed his eyes for a second and rubbed them with the sleeve of his hoodie. The older who saw it right away caressed the younger’s head again with his free hand.

“Slowly, stupid,”

“Hmm,”

When Youngmin didn’t hear any further remarks from the younger was when he realized once again that the boy must be in a pain, hence he kept his fingers caressing the top of Sewoon’s head hoping that it might lessen the headache he was feeling.

“You should eat,” Youngmin reiterated. “After that then you can take the medicine and sleep,”

“Hmm,”

Sewoon made no move to take the the plate or even budge from his spot though. If anything, his head leant on Youngmin’s hand more heavily. From this position, Youngmin could see the other’s eyelashes touching his cheeks and his eyebags were more prominent than usual. The younger seemed like he almost dozed off to dreamland. As much as Youngmin hated to wake him up from his comfortable state (and how hard it was to finally get the younger in that state), Sewoon really needed to replenish his energy and take the medicine first.

“Sewoon-ah,”

“Hmm,”

When he got no more reply, Youngmin stopped his caressing to lower his hand to cup Sewoon’s cheek and pat him softly. “Come on.”

The eyelashes fluttered as Sewoon slowly woke up, eyes watery so he rubbed them with the sleeve of his hoodie again. The vocalist’s cheeks was red and he was shivering from sudden cold, toes curling on the bedsheet to steal some of the fabric’s warmth. The movement didn’t go unnoticed by Youngmin who pulled the blanket and tuck Sewoon’s lower half with it. He also positioned Sewoon’s pillow on wall and bed’s grip so that the younger could lean his back without getting hurt. It was weird, Sewoon thought, that he allowed other people beside Kihyun to treat him like this. Even Seokwon would get one or two hits and grumbles before Sewoon surrendered and let the older guy force him to go to bed. But honestly, he couldn’t careless right now as the fact that it was Youngmin aside he really felt more sluggish and dizzy.

So as long as it wasn’t in front of his fellow labelmates, he let the older guy did what he had been doing.

Such as, blowing a spoon of steaming hot fried rice and small slice of omelet then motioning him to open his mouth. Sewoon tried to ignore how his face felt like burning and if it did show then he blamed the fever for it.

“Is it still hot?” the older asked while observing the way Sewoon munched and saw any reaction he might give out.

The guitarist looked at him and couldn’t help but let out a small smile. “A little,”

Without further ado Youngmin blew the second mouthful of fried rice and omelets, taking more time with it than the first one. As soon as he could see Sewoon finished swallowing he put the spoon in front of the younger again.

“Is it delicious?”

Sewoon smiled and nodded, fingers playing with the edge of Youngmin’s dark green cardigan that he forgot to take off as he was too busy being begged by Seokwon. He kept doing that and ate in silent. The younger managed to finish half portion and Youngmin let him because it was plenty enough and they could reheat the leftovers later. After giving the medicine, the older saw Sewoon make a confused look in which his eyes were moving from bed to Youngmin’s direction then to bed again, contemplating something he was too shy to admit.

“What’s wrong?”

The vocalist looked at him again, frowning. The crinkles around his eyes appeared like magic making Youngmin found himself staring at them way longer than normal people would. He avoided Youngmin’s eyes then and Youngmin shook off the nervousness that was dangerously creeping in his thought.

“I’m not sleepy,”

The raised eyebrows from the older was not an odd sight anymore.

“But you should sleep and you will soon enough,”

Sewoon looked back at Youngmin. He tried not to notice the un-styled hair of the older which made his fringe stay flat on his forehead, soft and shining and causing him to wonder how it would feel to run his fingers through it. The cross necklace that he always wore stood out like a light bulb in the darkened room, brought out even more by the black shirt and dark green cardigan he wore today. He must be delirious, Sewoon thought as he kept on staring at the older who became fidgety right now, because he was on his bed with his blanket fresh from the laundry but there in front of him Im Youngmin looked much warmer and much more comfy than his pillow.

So he came forward and put his forehead on Youngmin’s shoulder.

On Youngmin’s wide, stiff but feels-like-home shoulder.

The older seemed surprise for a second before letting out a small chuckle and cradled Sewoon’s head.

“Head hurts?”

Their position made Youngmin twist his leg in such way to let the shorter boy’s body fit into his arms. It might seem a little bit uncomfortable but as long as Sewoon felt cozy and happy then Youngmin could stay sitting like that for the rest of his life, maybe, if it got the younger to get his deserved rest and be healthy again.

The boy in his arm took his time answering so Youngmin patiently waited, seconds he spent noticing every little movement that was happening inside this room. There was soft blow of breath on his neck, and a ghost touch, soft lashes that tickled his skin and sent shivers down his spine, that built up the beats of his heart as he could feel them fluttering down. The best dancer of Brand New, a leader, one who always moved with precise and sharpness not to mention brave on stage with charisma overflowing from his performances, one touch from Sewoon and he crumbled. It was hard to stay still as much as to order his heart not to pound too fast from the questionable distance he had with the younger. Sewoon was so stubborn in front of his peers, and yet so pliant in Youngmin’s arm. He could break him anytime. God.

“A little bit,” answered the guitarist after a considerable pause. His voice was small and breathless, fatigue and headache from yesterday finally accumulated. “It’s not good to lie down right after eating.”

Youngmin chuckled.

“Of course,”

As much as he felt amused by Sewoon’s tsundere tendency which showed up randomly, the short breaths and little moan at the end of his sentence were kinda worrying. Youngmin moved his hand to stroke Sewoon’s head at a slow pace while the other rub his back, wishing he could take away the pain or at least soothe away half of it. There was a pull on his shirt, Sewoon’s fingers on his waist. It was weak and barely, the little one’s loose grip which could be considered as fumbling more than clutching.

The older kept on his ministration up to short minutes later when Sewoon let out a deep relief sigh and then some more. His arms were numb and legs cramp, yet he wouldn’t let go of his best friend until he fell asleep. This close Youngmin could feel Sewoon’s breath becoming more even as he followed the rhythm of Youngmin’s caressing on his head and back.

How to help him sleep?

 

“ _ijarie,”_

He started to hum near to Sewoon’s ear, soft and slow, cheek touching the younger’s forehead.

 

“ _ijarie,”_

Sewoon’s eyelids fluttered, and thus Youngmin also closed his eyes, lips moving to the melody of a song that started it all.

 

_Close your two eyes, slowly_

_Feel it, what we’ve shared_

Youngmin stopped the stroking on Sewoon’s head only to cradle the back of his head and made a caressing motion with his thumb, same with the one on his back where he was patting the younger with even beat, slower, softer.

 

_Wherever I am, I’m always yours_

_I’ll always give you a back hug by your side_

_I’ll hang on you like a bear, I’ll embrace your back_

_I will always protect you_

 

And he kept doing that throughout the lullaby despite the sudden insecurity that crept in, despite the overflowing urge to clasp the other boy as tight as he could, making sure he was there safe and sound with Youngmin and shielding him from all the bad things that dared to harm him.

 

_I will hold both of your hands tightly now, just like this_

_Just like the word ‘forever’, let’s stay together_

                                   

He could feel Sewoon’s heartbeat followed his rhythm, so easily even in his dozing off state, like it was a natural thing for him to match with an Im Youngmin.

Of course, who was he kidding, it was Sewoon.

 

_You and me, just like this without changing_

How long ago was it, almost a year?

_I will love you with just one heart_

Love, huh.

_I promise_

 

(You didn’t sound like a rapper)

 

And he did promise among the confusing erratic heartbeats that played out in contrast against his calm comforting gesture on the younger, he would agree to it while wondering did he get the rhythm right this time, did the nervousness he felt was because of the song or the boy sleeping in his arms?

Did Sewoon feel it too?

He finally achieved what he wanted before, to make Sewoon sleep and rest. But now, his hands seemed like they had a mind of their own and didn’t want to leave their rightful place on Sewoon’s head and back. So Youngmin relented.

Instead of only laying him down on the bed, Youngmin also came and lied beside him all along not letting go of his embrace on Sewoon, only moving one of his arm under Sewoon’s neck. The younger still had that fever strip sticked to his forehead making Youngmin go slightly lower and kiss the gap between Sewoon’s eyebrows, lips feeling the hotness of the younger’s face and wished he could take some of it away.

Sewoon, like he could feel Youngmin in his dream, snuggled up closer to the older and Youngmin’s breath hitched.

 

“Sleep tight, Sewoon-ah.”

 

 

-

 

 

“Delivery service!”

“What?”

The sight that greeted him must not be real. In front of him stood Jeong Sewoon wearing his black hoodie, hair flat and no make-up, clutching several bags in his hands and smiling at Youngmin with thin lips which made his cheekbone stand out.

Was he hallucinating?

“Donghyun told me you were sick,” the younger boy looked at him amused. “So here I am, a nurse specifically reserved for Im Youngmin,” he laughed seeing Youngmin’s still dazzled expression.

So the older shook off the confusion out of his mind and belatedly invited Sewoon to come in.

“What did Donghyun tell you?” required the older as soon as they got into living room. The guitarist ignored him to open his bag and revealed a big lunchbox inside it.

He turned back to look at Youngmin then smiled.

“That you were sick, so I brought you chicken soup,” he stared at Youngmin, the flushed and messy haired Im Youngmin who was still taking in the fact that his best friend came to his dorm, a very rare feat knowing his label’s restriction, and brought _samgyetang_ that he had been craving since last night.

His eyebrows were raised though seeing a familiar book shape inside the younger’s totte bag. “And Sudoku book?”

“Yes, it’s not like I would just sit and watch you sleep for hours,” he chuckled and gave Youngmin this kind of smile in which his lips turn slightly up with his upper teeth touching his bottom lip. Even across the room, in his sick state, the older could see Sewoon’s almond-shaped eyes stand out before his long bang, hair too soft for his own good and the Brand New rapper was holding down the urge to run his fingers through it to feel actually how soft it was.

Just like what he did when he spent the entire five hours lying beside the younger watching him sleep the last time he had been sick.

The main vocal of the group couldn’t help but chuckle seeing the older’s odd expression. He then approached the still frozen hyung and just when Youngmin thought Sewoon would stop several steps before him, the younger kept on walking until they were just several inches away from each other.

Youngmin looked down.

Sewoon looked up.

And brought his palm to Youngmin’s forehead.

“You have a fever,”

As soon as the cool hand touched his skin Youngmin stopped himself from moaning in comfort. Sewoon’s palm was small but just the right size to replace the fever strip he intended to use before the apartment bell rang and revealed the boy.

“Yes, unlike you, I admit it,” Youngmin said.

Sewoon looked at him funny, he sticked his tongue out at Youngmin then went away to take the samgyetang to the kitchen. The older let out a sigh, the dizziness and nausea that came from standing up too long caught up on him so he sat on the sofa placing his head up, wishing the pounding inside his head would stop.

Several minutes must have passed on him dozing off, because when he came back to his sense there was hand caressing the top of his head, warm and gentle, soothing out his pain very much like the suspected owner of the said hand.

He opened his eyes to the sight of Jeong Sewoon staring at his face in worry and concern.

No, he shouldn’t cause the younger to make those expressions.

“Sorry for making you get up earlier,” he apologized remembering Youngmin had to open the locked door for him, hand kept caressing the older. “Head hurts?”

Youngmin just smiled. “A little bit, but I’m fine,”

The younger stopped his motion.

“No, you’re not,”

The concern in Sewoon’s face stabbed him like a guilt, but sue him for slightly enjoying it. He was sick, had a migraine and no energy to even go to the bed right now.

The little bit energy he had, he spent it on moving his head onto Sewoon’s shoulder, hiding his red face on the crook of that soft neck and let the younger think it was from the fever. The movement made the dizziness double though. He scrawled his face to hold back the pain.

“Slowly, stupid,”

Sewoon cradled Youngmin’s head, caressing and rubbing as he knew it would make Youngmin feel better just like how the older soothe him when he had been sick before. He put his other hand on Youngmin’s arm, stroking it with his thumb.

“You need to eat first, hyung,” he coaxed the older as much as he hated to break out of his position, being leant on, being needed by an Im Youngmin.

“Hmm,” replied Youngmin absently.

Sewoon smelled like fresh shirt from the laundry and like the sea, free and calming.

Also home, definitely home.

His breath got slightly hitched and Sewoon moved to rub his back.

“Poor you,” he kissed the top of Youngmin’s head slightly as if the older wasn’t hypervigilant enough.

In this worrying state, the logic in him still worked. He knew he should eat, afterall he didn’t eat dinner last night because of the nausea. He was hungry for food, but he couldn’t help that he was hungrier for Sewoon’s touch. So Youngmin kept still and told himself he would eat later and stayed here in his most precious person’s arms for another 10 minutes.

Or 15.

Or an hour.

Possibly forever.

It might be selfish that he wanted this, that he didn’t move out from leaning on Sewoon’s shoulder which he liked to call his home.

 

But.

 

As 15 minutes passed by.

 

Maybe it was okay.

 

 

 

Afterall, Sewoon didn’t move either.

 

 

 

(Youngmin wondered what song he would request for a lullaby, though as long as it was Sewoon’s voice any song was okay)

 

 

(Yes, even Bang Bang Bang)

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> a very late birthday fic for rach im so ashamed of myself lamfhadjfhmkjdf she asked for domestic papo but hmm well there are several domestic aspects in this one i think also im so sorry if the quality doesnt match up your expectation...
> 
> anyway i already thought/plotted of the cradling head thing and sen with fever strip before popang ydpp behind article so yeah imagine my surprise they became almost canon alkdshfsdhfsmdfh im freaking out
> 
> the song reference is 'always' by produce 101, in case you dont know...
> 
> lyric translation credit to https://colorcodedlyrics.com/2017/06/produce-101-s2-produce-101-always-jalie  
> (Korean: music.naver  
> Rom: CCL  
> Eng: anishabunga, musixmatch, Goosib Oh1, CCL  
> info: music.naver)


End file.
